DAMIEN HIRST "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LAUGH" SCREENPRINT, 2007
Damien Hirst (b. 1965) is one of the most divisive, high-profile, and arguably misunderstood artists of the contemporary era.
(In)famous internationally for encapsulating a tiger shark in a tank of formaldehyde, Hirst is the most successful and prolific artist from the group known as the Young British Artists (YBAs). Themes of mortality and decay continue to pervade his practice, evident in installations resembling mirrored pharmacy cabinets and molecular examination of narcotics.
Continuing Hirst's contemplation of the dilemmas of human existence, "For the love of God, Laugh" rebels against mortality by transforming the human skull into a glittering object of desire. Coated with diamond dust, the print depicts Hirst’s sculptural work For the Love of God (2007), a platinum cast of an eighteenth-century human skull encrusted with 8,601 diamonds.
A familiar motif in memento mori still lifes, the skull is a haunting symbol of contemplation and foreboding. Our attention is drawn to its vacant smile—with teeth remaining as the only element not covered by diamonds—introducing a sardonic humour and sense of defiance that suggests a momentary triumph over decay.
A consistent aspect of Hirst’s practice gestures toward the value we place on art and life, and the various ways we confront the inevitability of death—physically, culturally, and philosophically. This screenprint of his notorious diamond skull crystallizes those concerns with particular clarity, its dazzling surface heightening the tension between allure and impermanence. Hirst’s unmistakable dark wit threads through the work, turning an object traditionally associated with mortality into a radiant, almost seductive emblem of both transcendence and futility.
Questions about this piece? Contact us, call +1.416.704.1720, or visit our Toronto gallery.
"For the Love of God, Laugh"
London, 2007
Screenprint in colors with glazes and diamont dust on wove paper
Signed in black felt-tip pen and numbered 233/250 in pencil on verso
Published by Other Criteria, London
From an edition of 250
39.5"H 29.5"W (sheet)
43"H 33"W (framed)
Very good condition
Provenance: White Cube Gallery, London
More Images
DAMIEN HIRST "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LAUGH" SCREENPRINT, 2007
Damien Hirst (b. 1965) is one of the most divisive, high-profile, and arguably misunderstood artists of the contemporary era.
(In)famous internationally for encapsulating a tiger shark in a tank of formaldehyde, Hirst is the most successful and prolific artist from the group known as the Young British Artists (YBAs). Themes of mortality and decay continue to pervade his practice, evident in installations resembling mirrored pharmacy cabinets and molecular examination of narcotics.
Continuing Hirst's contemplation of the dilemmas of human existence, "For the love of God, Laugh" rebels against mortality by transforming the human skull into a glittering object of desire. Coated with diamond dust, the print depicts Hirst’s sculptural work For the Love of God (2007), a platinum cast of an eighteenth-century human skull encrusted with 8,601 diamonds.
A familiar motif in memento mori still lifes, the skull is a haunting symbol of contemplation and foreboding. Our attention is drawn to its vacant smile—with teeth remaining as the only element not covered by diamonds—introducing a sardonic humour and sense of defiance that suggests a momentary triumph over decay.
A consistent aspect of Hirst’s practice gestures toward the value we place on art and life, and the various ways we confront the inevitability of death—physically, culturally, and philosophically. This screenprint of his notorious diamond skull crystallizes those concerns with particular clarity, its dazzling surface heightening the tension between allure and impermanence. Hirst’s unmistakable dark wit threads through the work, turning an object traditionally associated with mortality into a radiant, almost seductive emblem of both transcendence and futility.
Questions about this piece? Contact us, call +1.416.704.1720, or visit our Toronto gallery.
"For the Love of God, Laugh"
London, 2007
Screenprint in colors with glazes and diamont dust on wove paper
Signed in black felt-tip pen and numbered 233/250 in pencil on verso
Published by Other Criteria, London
From an edition of 250
39.5"H 29.5"W (sheet)
43"H 33"W (framed)
Very good condition
Provenance: White Cube Gallery, London
Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
Damien Hirst (b. 1965) is one of the most divisive, high-profile, and arguably misunderstood artists of the contemporary era.
(In)famous internationally for encapsulating a tiger shark in a tank of formaldehyde, Hirst is the most successful and prolific artist from the group known as the Young British Artists (YBAs). Themes of mortality and decay continue to pervade his practice, evident in installations resembling mirrored pharmacy cabinets and molecular examination of narcotics.
Continuing Hirst's contemplation of the dilemmas of human existence, "For the love of God, Laugh" rebels against mortality by transforming the human skull into a glittering object of desire. Coated with diamond dust, the print depicts Hirst’s sculptural work For the Love of God (2007), a platinum cast of an eighteenth-century human skull encrusted with 8,601 diamonds.
A familiar motif in memento mori still lifes, the skull is a haunting symbol of contemplation and foreboding. Our attention is drawn to its vacant smile—with teeth remaining as the only element not covered by diamonds—introducing a sardonic humour and sense of defiance that suggests a momentary triumph over decay.
A consistent aspect of Hirst’s practice gestures toward the value we place on art and life, and the various ways we confront the inevitability of death—physically, culturally, and philosophically. This screenprint of his notorious diamond skull crystallizes those concerns with particular clarity, its dazzling surface heightening the tension between allure and impermanence. Hirst’s unmistakable dark wit threads through the work, turning an object traditionally associated with mortality into a radiant, almost seductive emblem of both transcendence and futility.
Questions about this piece? Contact us, call +1.416.704.1720, or visit our Toronto gallery.
"For the Love of God, Laugh"
London, 2007
Screenprint in colors with glazes and diamont dust on wove paper
Signed in black felt-tip pen and numbered 233/250 in pencil on verso
Published by Other Criteria, London
From an edition of 250
39.5"H 29.5"W (sheet)
43"H 33"W (framed)
Very good condition
Provenance: White Cube Gallery, London
